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pc1966

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So far I have never had to deal with a new supply but a possible site we are looking at will need some major changes and so I wondered if folks here might have some help before engaging with SSE and/or supply company, etc.

The site used to have a private 500kVA transformer but that was removed when everything was decommissioned and stripped in the 1990s, now it has a small pole-mount single phase transformer fed off the original 11kV buried line to provide some basic lights, sockets, etc, for the building's current owner.

We are not actually interested in the building itself, but putting some stuff in a field around 400m away, and we need probably 10kVA average / 50kVA peak supply to begin, but that might rise to something 100kVA average / 200kVA peak in a few years if other folks co-locate with us. Cost, as ever, is a concern and I can see two routes to this:
  • The 'easy' and possibly cheaper option is we get a bigger 70-200kVA 3P transformer back where the existing pole is, put the metering and stuff in the original building area, and then run ~420m of LV cable to our site. Advantage is less DNO work and we can do the LV cable with the farmer owner's help over their land. Disadvantage is high cost of LV cable and wrangling 95mm as a minimum to get power out there.
  • The 'best' option is to get the DNO to join/extend 11kV cable around 150m to near our site, put the transformer there, and then we have short east LV run to our stuff. Advantage is low losses and no massive/parallel LV cable sizes to contend with, disadvantage is probably significantly higher DNO-side costs.
Thoughts on those aspects are welcome, but other things I would like to get advice on are:
  • Any idea of the ball-park costs for supply options like 100A, 200A, and 300A in terms of initial install transformer cost and on-going standing charges, etc?
  • For the 2nd option of close transformer then our equipment is in a metal shipping container sort of "building" but I guess the DNO/supply company will need some location for CT + meter stuff, and probably not in a radio screened box for remote meter reading. Any idea if they can go in an outdoor GRP style of box like domestic cut-out/meter/isolator are usually done?
TL;DR any help on initial request and space needed for new supply
 
TBH, i am getting quite wild pricing at the moment with a number of installs, typically around the 300-1500KVA mark. I would discuss it with DNO first as you may or may not have capacity on the MV side. Your requirements appear to be wide ranging so this could prove challenging for a paid for quote from DNO.

If you have (and are likely to have ) MV capacity for your top end needs then another option is to take a 11KV metered supply, install your own transformer say 500KVA and grow into it over time. The risk is that every time your ask for an upgrade from say 140KVA to 280KVA from DNO they have you by the S&C :)

My guesses for each option - 220KVA pole to replace existing ÂŁ20K, extending MV and DNO supply dedicated TX, 50K-100K - depending on KVA, 11KV supply at 280 KVA - ÂŁ40K

Metering options - if the DNO are installing a dedicated sub, see if they will put the metering in a separate part of their sub, they have sub designs for this type of install and its one i am using for a 11KV metered supply. otherwise i am sure they can recommend other enclosure options.

The ongoing costs (apart from KWh) is the max demand you contract for with the energy company. DNO pricing is a one off (largely a function of what they have to spend to get the capacity to you.........
 
Thanks for that advice. I don't know the MV capacity locally, though there are lots of wind farms several miles away so generation is not such a concern, and there are only a couple of small-medium farm buildings in the area likely served.

I will have to find out the kWh/standing charge options to see if it is worth going for a 5-years expected level now or just start with essentials and then others can pay for upgrades if they come.
 

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